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UNITED STATES JOHN G. BREWSTER, OF RALEIGH,NORTH CAROLINA.

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EEPIECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 322,248, dated July 14, 1885.

Application filed March 8, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom' it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN O. BREWSTER, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at Raletters, and figures of signs and other advertisements, which is fully described in the following specification and accompanying drawings, forming a partof the same.

My invention relates to animproved device for the suspension of the letters and figures of signs and other advertisements; and the object of my improvement is to provide an effective device whereby the letters and figures of asign or advertisement may be so suspended as that each letter and figure will adjust itself independently of every other and expose the least possible surface to the force of storms,

producing thereby an indestructible sign or advertisement, which object is attained by the device shown'in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a front elevation, and Fig. 2 is a cross-section, of said device. Fig. 3 is a view of a modification embodying part of the invention."

Like letters indicate like parts in ures.

a a a are any letters or figures used in a sign or advertisement, preferably of tin or sheetiron, painted; but they may be of any suitable material.

b b b are sections of a hollow tube of iron, brass, tin, or anyother suitable material firmly attached to each letter or figure, and projecting right and left of each letter or figureadistance equal to one-half the space between them. 7

c c c c are points of division or separation between the sections or hollow tubes 11 b b. The ends of the tubes or sections which abut are turned outward or cut square and smooth, and a thin washer inserted between to insure perfeet, free, and independent action of each letter or figure.

d d is a rod or wire on which the letters and figures forming a sign or advertisment are threaded through the tubes 1) b b.

The ends of the rod or wire are to be fastened at fixed points,-between which the sign an the figd is to be placed. The sign thus made consists of a series of characters or symbols independently attached to and suspended from a rod or wire (on which they are free to swing) and 7 PATENT imes. 1;

spaced properly by abutting tubes or washers.

\Vhile signs have heretofore been composed of separate characters strung on one or more rods or wires, these characters have never, so

far as I am aware, been so supported as to swing freely, while at the same time they remain properly spaced, being held apart by abutting tubes or washers strung onthesupporting rodor wire. These tubes or washers may or may not be fastened to the characters.

Thus, for example, the letters and figures forming the sign or advertisement may be suspended upon the wire-separately by hooksor loops with washers or hollow tubes between to secure the requisite free and independent action of "each. The hollow tube, loop, or

hook may be formed of the same sheet of which the letter is made by turning down or rolling the upper margin of the metal left at,

top of the letter or figure for such purpose. The tube, loop, or hook may be fixed or formed immediately upon the top of the letter or figure, so as to hang vertically or behind the top, so as to give the letters and figures an angle of inclination toward theearth.

In Fig. 3 the letters a are suspended from the wire d by the hooks or loops 6, (each let ter being provided with two such hooks or loop's,) and are spaced thereon by the abut ting tubes 1).

In the device shown other improvements also are embodied, as hereinafter indicated. In order more clearly to distinguish these, it

may be observed that heretofore numbers have been attached to a supporting-bar by squared sleeves fastened each to a separate number midway of its height and strung upon a squared supporting-rod, and that such a construction is not contemplated or covered by this invention. l

1. A sign composed of separate freelyswinging characters attached to and suspended from a rod or wire and spaced thereon by abutting tubes, substantially as described.

2. A character for a sign, provided with a continuous round tube fastened to the upper part of the character and projecting beyond it character and form a practicallycontinuous 011 both sides for attaching the same to a supsheath or envelope to said rod or wire, subporting rod or wire, substantially as described. siantially as described.

3. A sign composed of separate characters JOHN G. BREXVSTER. 5 suspended on arod or wire on which theycan \Vitnesses:

be turned by spacing and suspension tubes, HENRY C. THOMPSON,

which are fastened to the upper part of the W. H. MARTIN. 

